Knitted fabric and method of producing same



April 12, 1938. A. J. REINTHAL KNITTED FABRIC AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 50, 1956 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS v April 12, 1938. A. J. IREINTHAL Filed NOV. 30, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES.

KNITTED FABRIC AND IVIETHOD F PRO- DUCING SAME Arthur J. Reinthal, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Bamberger-Reinthal Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 30, 1936, Serial No. 113,369 g 2 Claims. (on. ass-195i This invention relates to a knitted fabric and method for producing the same, and has particular reference to a fabric having an elastic zone suitable for waistbands, cuffs and the like.

An object of the invention, broadly stated is sentially uniform thread pattern I do not intend to limit myself to the production of a fabric in which the thread pattern is actually uniform throughout but only to one in which no nonuniformity of thread pattern is introduced for the purpose of producing the elastic zone. In other words, my invention contemplates a fabric in which the thread pattern may vary in different parts for the production of pleasing effects but in which the elastic zone is produced by the substitution of elastic yarn for inelastic yarn without change in the thread pattern for the purpose of securing elasticity. v

A further object is to produce such fabric by beaming the warp in unit groups of yarnsvwith the corresponding yarns of each unit being in one group of units elastic and in another group inelastic, the elastic yarns being placedunder a higher tension in the beaming operation than the inelastic yarns, whereby no change need be made in subsequent operations by reason of the presence of theelastic yarns under high tension; thatis, the elastic yarns are fed from the beam at the same rate as the other yarns and the set-up of the knitting machine need be no different in those cases where a fabric is made with an elastic zone from those where the entire fabric. is inelastic. While the feature of placing the elastic yarns under higher tension than the inelastic 011% is'an important feature of the invention, it is nevertheless within the contemplation of the invention to employ yarns of such elastic nature that they may be subjected to the same tension in the beaming operation as the inelastic yarns.

and fed from the beam to the knitting machine upon a reel and then again winding the yarns from the reel upon a beam which isthen placed in position upon the knitting machine. The difference in tension applied to the elastic yarns is preferably appliedin the process of transferring the yarns from the cones to the reel. This may be done by a snubbing action, as will be brought out hereinafter. The elastic yarns may consist of filaments of rubber spirally wound with one or more yarns which are not elastic per se whereby the stretch of the composite elastic yarn is limited. By the term yarn as used in the claims is meant either a single thread or a plurality thereof running together.

Other and more limited objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a front view of a sweater or like garment having elastic zones at the waistband and cuffs; Fig. 2 is a'fragment of a fabric shape as the inelastic zone, and with both zones under tension, as for example, in the portion of fabric being wound on a receiving roll as it comes from the knitting machine; Fig. 3 is a similar fragment with the tension relieved; Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing one thread pattern which may be employed in realizing the invention; Fig. 5 is a fragment showing the same thread pattern in a less schematic manner, al-

' showing the elastic zone stretched to the same in the reeling part of the beaming operation.

Figs. 4 and 5 show, the wales running horizontally.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral lll indicates a knitted garment made up of a fabric produced in accordance with the invention and indicating the shape resulting from the incorporation of the invention. The garment has elastic zones at the waistband as indicated at H and at the cuffs, as indicated at l2. This garment may be made from a fabric which comes from the knitting machine in a strip of the shape indicated in Fig. 2 by reason of being under tension and comprising an inelastic zone w and an elastic zone II at the edge. When the tension is removed, the elastic zone contracts in length, as indicated in connection with-the left hand end of the same shown in Fig. 3, wherein the same numerals indicate corresponding portions of the fabric shown in Fig. 2.

In the circular type ofknitting machine, where the knitting progresses by the intertwining of a yarn with a preceding run in a direction tiyis versely of the direction of progress of the fabric through the machine, it is comparatively easy to introduce an elastic yarn or a group of yarns having one elastic yarn therein by merely picking up a different yarn carrier at the point where the elastic is to be inserted. The tension here may be individually regulated for the yarn fed from each yarn carrier so that the substitution of an elastic yarn under any desired tension for an inelastic yarn is a comparatively simple matter. However, where the yarn is supplied from a beam and runs longitudinally of the direction of the progress of the work through a machine, the machine set-ups are comparatively complex and it is highly desirable that the setting of the machine be unaltered for long periods of operation. Heretofore, in knitting fabrics having elastic zones on what may be termed the beam type of machine,'an additional thread has been introducedor superadded to the regular thread pattern in the elastic zone. While, this partially solves the problem, it does not do so completely. Also, it involves the use of the regular yarn in addition to the elastic strands, which introduces an item of expense beyond that prevailing where a substitution is made. Indeed, the prevailing practice has been to knit the elastic zones separately and attach them after.-- the knitting has been completed. V

I have found in practice that by introducing a predetermined proper tension during the beaming operation, I am able to produce a satisfactory Product in a cheaper and more desirable manner and to effect a simple substitution of an elastic for an inelastic thread in the same thread pattern and to knit the fabric with an elastic zone without any change whatsoever in the knitting machine.

In Fig. 6, I have shown one unit group of yarns proceeding from the cones (not shown) to snubbing rods ii, the yarn b, an elastic yarn in the elastic zone of the fabric, passing first around an additional snubbing rod ll, while the yarns a, c'and it pass around only snubbing rod 13.

, From the snubbing rods l3, the yarns pass to a yarn guide l5 where they are positioned in suitable relation to each other and from which they pass to a reel l6 upon which. they are wound. It is to be understood that the unit group of yarns shown in Fig. 6 is repeated a plurality of times in filling a single beam for actual use. It is not necessary to use the snubbing rod ll in the inelastic zone since in that zone the elastic yarn my invention may be realized and wherein, as.

y will be clear from the drawings, a unit group of four yarns is employed. In Fig. 5, yarn a is omitted for cleamess and, in some cases, it may be omitted in the fabric itself, it being used priversely of the progress of the work through the knitting machine. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 5 that two types of interlooping are employed. These form ribs of different types which alternate and which are indicated by the reference characters A and B. Intertwined with the loops of the A type ribs are yarns b which are confined to such ribs. These are elastic in the elastic zone or zones and are inelastic in the inelastic zone. In other words, it is the yams b which may be made either elastic or inelastic whereby to produce a fabric having zones of different elasticity while maintaining a uniform thread pattern and necessitating no change in the knitting machine. The yarn a may run diagonally back and forth betwcan the A-type ribs, passing over the B-type ribs which tend to greater stretching. This is clearly shown in the diagrammatic view in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5, which shows a very small fragment of the fabric, no attempt has been made to differentiate the elastic from the inelastic yarn. However, in Fig. 4 the yarns b in the elastic zone have been indicated by heavy lines while those in the inelastic zone have been indicated by relatively light lines.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it will be clear that I have provided a knitted fabric of satisfactory and highmet'hod of producing the same, and while I have shown and described the illustrative embodiments of the various features, I do not wish to be limit ed to the details of the disclosure, but only in ac- Y cordance with the *appended claims.

Having thus .described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Process of making a knitted fabric comprising beaming a warp composed of unit groups of yarns, corresponding yarns of each unit being in one group of units elastic and in another group inelastic, said elastic yarns being under higher linear strain than the others on the beam, fabricating theyams making up both said groups of units in a uniform thread pattern, the corresponding yarns of each unit being fed from the beam at the same ratewhereby a fabric is produced having a compact highly elastic zone and 'a less compact inelastic zone.

ly economical construction and a satisfactory zone of the warp -elastic and in another zone thereof inelastic, said elastic yarns being Put under higher linear strain than the others 'on the beam, knitting'the yarns of bothezones into an essentially uniform thread pattern, the corresponding yarns of each unit being fed from the beam at the same rate whereby a fabric is produced having a compact, higl1 ly elastic zone and a less compact and relatively inelastic zone.

ARTHUR' J. REIN'I'HAL. 

